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Training on gender-sensitive budgeting

10-3-2020

The Bassel Fleihan financial and economic institute, affiliated to the Ministry of Finance, organized on March 4th in collaboration with the IMF regional technical support office a workshop on gender budgeting. The event targeted senior staff in the Ministry of Agriculture which was chosen as a model for this initiative. The experience should then be replicated within other ministries. The Institute issued a statement noting that this workshop was held within the framework of IWD 2020 with the aim of preparing the first gender sensitive budget at the level of one state institution and the intention to replicate this model in other state institutions. The Institute director, Lamya Mobayed Bsat, noted that the budget in preparation will include practical financial planning tools which will aid not only in undertaking a gender analysis and producing a gender sensitive national budget but also in terms of improving financial performance as well as modernise the public sector. (NNA, March 4th 2020)

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AiW/LAU celebrates IWD

10-3-2020

The Arab Institute for Women commemorated IWD 2020 on March 2nd by co-organising the Athena40 Global Conversation forum in collaboration with GTF. The global event brought together some 60 feminists who presented performances in 9 countries namely the USA, India, Britain, Greece, Jordan, Turkey, Lebanon, Pakistan and South Africa. The event focused on women on leadership positions, both locally and internationally and the difficulties and challenges they face as well as the successes they scored. Theater plays were shown depicting important leadership roles held by Lebanese women. Testimonials were presented by pioneer women leaders in Lebanon including the VP for students affairs at LAU, Dr. Elise Salem, captain Roula Hoteit, a pilot working with MEA, Rana Ghandour Salhab, a business pioneer leader and the only high ranking Arab woman in Deloitte as well as Roula Azar Douglas, Lebanese-Canadian writer on social justice and activist Joelle Abi Farhat Rizkallah, a media professional working on women’s political participation. (NNA, March 4th 2020)

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NCLW campaign for gender equality

10-3-2020

NCLW announced on March 4th that it will join the global Each for Equal campaign by launching an awareness raising initiative with the slogan “An equal society is an empowered society” and “all for equality”. These activities will mark IWD on March 8th. NCLW seeks through these initiatives to motivate each member of society to contribute to equality in rights. The initiative focuses on the responsibility of men in reaching gender equality and contributing to strengthening society.. NCLW called on both men and women to join its campaign by taking and posting individual pictures whilst posing for equality. Takla Chamoun, actor, was the first to embrace this picture and post it on social media with the hash tag #eachforequality. (NNA March 4th 2020)

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On IWD, a bill to abolish honor crimes in Syria

9-3-2020

The Syrian government yesterday referred to the People’s Assembly a bill that abolishes Article 548 of the Penal Code which mitigates rulings and waives punishment related to so-called honor killings. Recalling, that the above article states the following: 1) he who catches his wife, sister or other female family member by surprise, and kills or injures them unintentionally, benefits from an exemption of penalty; 2) he who surprises his wife or any female family member in a suspicious state will benefit from reduced penalties. On the above amendment draft, MP Ahmad Mer’I told Russia Today that the best gift to a woman on her day is a validation that supports her equality with her male peer. This, he stressed, is guaranteed by the Syrian Constitution that views women and men as equal in rights and duties. With this move, Mer’I added, Syria has established reconciliation with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. (Al Diyar, March 9, 2020)

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Women’s rights on IWD: Sudanese women protest slow progress protesting Pakistani women attacked by conservatives

9-3-2020

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, demonstrations and protests were staged in various parts of Sudan and Pakistan. In Sudan, scores of women rallied yesterday in front of the justice ministry protesting the slow progress in cases involving the rights of women in the wake of the revolution in the North African country. Demonstrators relayed a message to the ministry calling for an amendment of discriminatory laws against women. Activist Zeinab Badreddine, revealed to AFP that there has been no substantial move which satisfies women’s aspirations. “Our representation in the cabinet does not exceed 22%,” she said, adding, that even this rate was seen as inadequate by opposition feminist groups. Likewise, campaigner In’aam Atiq, stressed that the personal status law for Muslims is at the core of the anguish of thousands of Sudanese women. Manal Abdel Halim, on the other hand, pointed out that feminist issues are a priority, and voiced her shock over some women voices calling for shelving this issue for now. Meanwhile in Pakistan, one thousand women took to the streets of Islam Abad yesterday in a call for their rights but were pelted with stones, shoes and sticks from conservative parties. At the same time, veiled Pakistani women marched for freedom of living according to Sharia law. While feminist activist, Tahira Mariam, 55, told AFP that women in Sudan are still considered property by their male counterparts, another, Ismat Khan, 33, described women’s rights campaigners as “naïve”, saying, we are free to live our life in line with Islamic Sharia. (An Nahar, March 8, 2020)

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2020 IWD activities in Lebanon

9-3-2020

As customary on International Women’s Day which falls on March 8 of every year, concerned bodies organized activities to mark the occasion reminding everyone of the confiscated rights of women and demanding an end to gender based discrimination and oppression. In a wrap up, Mousawat- Wardah Botros, the League for Lebanese Women’s Rights, FENASOL and Al Najdah Association staged a sit-in in front of the ESCWA offices in Beirut during which participants pressed for lobbying public opinion to work for eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against women. They also called for the following: the adoption of a unified civil status law; giving Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese the right to confer nationality to their family members and the ratification of a non-confessional electoral bill. A petition was signed requesting the enactment of a law that sets age of marriage at 18 for both males and females. Also, a women led rally was organized in front of the National Museum during which protestors hoisted signs that read: “We want to retrieve all our rights from male-dominated society,” “freedom for all is our fundamental demand,” “the patriarchal authority is far more dangerous than the Corona virus,” “raise your voice louder, and never relinquish your rights.” In a related vein, the Lebanese Red Cross Youth Sector- Jbeil, in collaboration with Human Environmental Association of Development (HEAD), held an environment targeted activity during which one thousand trees were planted in the town of Kfoun. As per official statements congratulating women on their day, while President Michel Aoun called for a unified civil status law that lifts injustice against women, House Speaker Nabih Berri, pledged to continue struggle hand in hand with women to the end of reaching full partnership in all aspects of life, development and prosperity for the sake of the Lebanese citizen and the nation at large. Similarly, Prime Minister Hassan Diab, stressed his support to women, saying: women not only represent half the society, but they are much more. They are emotion givers, educators of the future generation and active partners in society, as he put it. For her part, LF MP, Sitrida Geagea, considered that Lebanese women are avant-garde in various walks of life. Their boldness, she said, was exhibited this year during the uprising and popular movements Lebanon has witnessed since October 17. (An Nahar, Al Diyar, March 8, 9, 2020)

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“Monte Carlo” and "France 24" celebrate women’s international day

5-3-2020

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8 of every year, France 24 (Arabic, English, French and Spanish) and Monte Carlo Doualiya will celebrate the event for a whole month. This includes airing a series of reports, interviews and coverages to underline the need to strengthen and promote gender equality and justice. The radio stations will host female role models to talk about their experiences, success stories, and how they addressed the challenges they faced in society. Among the scheduled programs on Franch 24 are tete-a-tetes with Lebanese climber, Joyce Azzam, Algerian Berber singer, Souad Massi, Syrian flutist, Naissam Jalal and Tunisian actress, Hind Sabri. Likewise, Monte Carlo Doualiya will broadcast the ‘Café Show’ on Sunday, March 28, that will depict women experiences each in her own arena. These will include: Souad Massi, who committed her voice to serving women’s causes; Shaza Nouman, Iraqi painter, winner of multiple awards and founder of a charity targeting Iraqi women; Rim Wael, international law specialist, founder of Salamat initiative to spread awareness on digital security in Arab countries; Rania Ayoub, the young Palestinian woman who transformed a Parisian café into a cultural meeting house and Doua’, also from Palestine, who created a Facebook page to raise awareness among women about their rights, specifically those related to ‘honor crimes’, gender-based violence and social inequality. (Al Akhbar, March 5, 2020)

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Women Monodrama Festival in Tyre

5-3-2020

The Istanbuli Theatre and Tiro Association for Arts announced the launch of the 2nd edition of the International Women Monodrama Festival in Lebanon from March 21 to 24 at the Lebanese National Theatre in Tyre. The event held under the slogan, “For freedom and equality” comes to celebrate the female and femininity through accentuating women’s strength in Arabic on stage and in arts. The event is a salute to the Lebanese woman and her struggle in all areas with the hashtag “Al Thawra Untha” (Revolution is feminine) while marking the International Women’s Day and Mothers’ Day. The festival will reportedly host local, Arab and foreign performances competing within the official competition for the Best Actress, Best Script and Best Scenography rewards, in addition to the Jury Reward. Explaining the purpose of the festival, the founder of the Lebanese National Theatre, actor and director, Qassem Istanbuli, said it highlights the issue of women around the world through performing arts from various world cultures. The main theme addresses women’s suffering from repression, indoctrination, occupation, laws as well as social and political circumstances in a male dominated society and their struggle for freedom, equality and social justice. (Al Akhbar, March 5, 2020)

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‘Extravagance of Obsessions’ by author Jana Nasrallah

5-3-2020

In its edition of today, Al Akhbar spotlighted the new novel collection “Taraf Al Hawajis” (Extravagance of Obsessions) by Lebanese journalist, Jana Nasrallah. Nasrallah is the author of “Rahil al Modon” and “Al Nawm al Abiad (White Sleep) published respectively in 2018 and 2015, will sign her new book on Tuesday, March 17, (5-7pm), Antoine Library, Beirut Souks. The book is a compilation of anecdotes inspired from everyday life and written without prejudice or manipulation. It is about a neighbor unable to sleep, Carine who tries to fill the vacuum of her fiftieth years on a Chesterfiled sofa, Dima, the liberal woman and the cancer patient who beseeches a loving and tender squint from his doctor. (Al Akhbar, March 5, 2020)

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Draft legislation to criminalize sexual harassment in Lebanon

4-3-2020

NCLW referred to the attention of the head of the parliamentary Justice and Administration Committee, MP George Adwan, a proposal to adapt laws criminalizing sexual harassment. The proposal was made in collaboration with the Knowledge is Power (KIP) project on Gender and Sexuality at the Olayan School of Business, AUB, and Mashreq Gender Facility supported by the World Bank. It targets legislations that were earlier presented to the concerned parliamentary committees and those jointly prepared by civil society organizations, including NCLW, MP Ghassan Mkheiber, the ministry of state for women’s affairs, the ministry of state for the empowerment of women and youth and MP Enaya Ezzedine. In a statement issued by NCLW, the latter said it worked in cooperation with partners and stakeholders to incorporate articles revolving around sexual harassment in the respective labor law and penal code, as well as in Decree 112 regarding status of civil servants. The result was an integrated draft law to the end of protecting any individual against physical or moral violence. (NNA, March 3, 2020)

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